* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
* Read more of Ben Coley’s top tips at SportingLife.com
Russell Henley
I’ll start with the local connection Russell Henley who’s spent a lot of his life in Georgia. He went to college there and he’s played really well in some big events in Georgia. He’s got a good record actually at The Masters and in the Tour Championship. He’s also got a good record here with three top 10s early in his career.
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We’ve since learned that this is the sort of course where he is comfortable. It’s short and more of a technical test than we saw in Houston last week which is kind of bombs away. This will definitely suit Russell Henley more.
It will all come down to the putter. He really is one of the best iron players on the circuit at the moment but if he’s going to put well it will be on Bermuda Greens – that’s the grass type we see in the southeastern states. This is what he’s used to, what he’s comfortable on. I think he can build on last week’s effort in Houston.
Alex Noren
The other one I really like is Alex Noren. I’d say he’s my favourite bet of this week. He’s yet to win on the PGA Tour and I think that’s a nice incentive to have as we come to the end of a long season. Maybe some players towards the top of the betting will be taking their eye off the ball a little bit?
Noren got a 10th here on debut, 18th on his second go. He’s got a brilliant short game and won a Scottish Open so we know he’s good in the wind and by the coast. He’s been playing well all year. I think he probably should have been considered for the Ryder Cup but didn’t quite get that headline-grabbing performance. It might just come this weekend in Georgia.
Tom Hoge
I think it can pay to be quite ambitious and creative in this event. We’ve seen some enormous shocks down the years. Last year the favourite was beaten by Robert Streb at a couple-of-hundred to one. You’d have got a bigger price on Tyler Duncan the year before.
As we get towards the end of the season and low scoring courses, it’s just one of those tournaments where nothing should be ruled out. It looks like a good set of courses for Tom Hoge to make his breakthrough.
Really solid and consistent, you might even call him a journeyman, but that sort of no-frills golfer is pretty ideal for this sort of test. He’s very accurate off the tee, his iron play is really good and if he puts well he can definitely better his 9th place here back in 2015.
Davis Thompson
The real curve ball is Davis Thompson. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say he’s one of the most talented Americans on the planet but so far it’s early days in his career, he only turned pro this summer. He’s made five out of seven cuts so far but the key is he lives on Sea Island, his dad is actually the tournament director here.
Two years ago he played as an amateur on an invite and he finished 23rd which is a mighty effort for an amateur. He’s got a lot more experience now, dare I say a lot more confidence. We saw him play quite well at the Sanderson Farms and he can definitely find the improvement needed to get close to the top 10 here.
It’s a big ask to win the tournament but increasingly in the States we’ve seen these youngsters come through. They are ready to win and stand tall and he’s already been a first-round leader in a good event on the Tour so the talent is definitely there. Home advantage can maybe bridge the gap and at a massive price he’s one that I’m really interested in.
RSM Classic golf tips
Russell Henley
Alex Noren
Tom Hoge
Davis Thompson
* Read more of Ben Coley’s top tips at SportingLife.com
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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